Page 91 of Bleed with Me

“Then you’re too old for your wife, too,” he mused, stopping me in my tracks.

“How old is she?” I blurted out, completely forgetting about the burning in my chest and the shortage of breath. That woman could make me forget about dying if that were the case.

“More like how young is she?” he mocked, truly surprising me.

“I didn’t know you had it in you, sunshine.” I refused to fall for his provocations and instead attacked. “Making fun of me? It’s so out of your character.”

“I was advised to step out of my comfort zone.” He shrugged and pushed the emergency door open. “Now, stay behind me. I need to do some magic.”

Again, he used my words because, of course, his hacking skills were some kind of mojo. No way in freaking hell could he override the codes, cameras, and elevators, find loopholes where there weren’t any, and get us into the private elevator with biometric access without anyone stopping us.

Still, two minutes passed, and the power was back, yet the cameras were still disabled, and we exited the elevator in the loft on the highest floor.

“Welcome, brother,” Malin said solemnly, inviting me further inside, “to Nina Valentino’s home.”

The air around me stilled, his words striking me like an unexpected punch to the gut.

“W-what?” I stuttered, my mouth hanging open like I was some brainless idiot.

While we climbed the endless stairs, my mind went through every possibility of who she could be: a mistress, a witness hidden from the world, a mercenary, a spy, maybe an assassin, anything.

But Nina Valentino? From all the women in that fucked-up Italian family, she had to be our enemy’s granddaughter?

Still, it fit her perfectly. Mafia princesses were dangerous in their own unique way. Raised around violence, politics, and power, they learned to weaponize charm before they were old enough to drink.

“Yeah,” Malin drawled, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “You’re married to the enemy. I can’t wait to see Zyon’s face when he finds out.”

“That can’t be true,” I mumbled, trying to swallow, but my mouth was dry, and my throat almost closed from the shock.

For a second, I contemplated Malin dragging me up here to make fun of me, but despite being a psychopath, he wasn’t suicidal. The guards would kill us without hesitation, all trained to shoot first and ask questions later.

“Are you sure about this?” I turned to him, seeking confirmation or a glint of the typical craziness in his eyes that would tell me this was all one absurd joke.

“Absolutely,” he replied with unshakable confidence.

“Bloody hell,” I exhaled, moving through the entry hall into the spacious living room.

However, no repulsion, hate, or anger came. Instead, my heart thundered with excitement.

Fuck, I should’ve been furious. Her grandfather had almost killed my brother and destroyed our business and reputation. Yet, if Nina wanted revenge, she’d had plenty of chances to hurt me. She wanted something else, and I found myself hoping that something was me.

I moved farther into the living room, taking in the dark wooden floors, marble surfaces, and warm golden light reflecting off the expensive furniture. Then my gaze landed on the piano by the windows overlooking Manhattan.

Only two sheets of music rested on it, the notes crowded and erratic, as if the composer struggled to put them down fast enough. My brain immediately caught the melody, filling in the quick and slow passages as I read.

It was magnificent. And unfinished.

“You know,” I started as my fingertips touched the keys, “I like her.” I turned toward my brother, who was sprawled on the sofa as if the place belonged to him. “I hate Italians, and I want the Valentino family out of this country and our lives, but,” I sat on the coffee table opposite him, “it doesn’t change the fact that I care for her, and I won’t let you or Zyon hurt her.”

“Pathetic,” he groaned.

“Maybe, but she isn’t like anyone I know.” I tried to make him understand. “Wouldn’t you be impressed by a woman who kidnapped you? Staged all that stuff to get what she wanted? She killed a woman for touching me!” I threw my hands in the air, unable to fight the smile that stretched my lips so wide my cheeks hurt. “What’s more romantic than that?”

“It’s crazy.” He cast me a look that momentarily made me question my sanity, too.

“When Zyon did it, you helped him.” The hurt in my voice was evident.

“Not the same.”